Purely Elizabeth natural foods company moves headquarters to Boulder

Purely Elizabeth, a burgeoning natural foods company that just landed its granola products in Target stores nationwide, has relocated its headquarters to Boulder from New York City.

Purely Elizabeth last week moved its corporate headquarters to 3200 Carbon Place, off 30th Street in Boulder.

The company, which was founded in 2009, switched co-packers earlier this year and signed with Natural Food Works' contract manufacturing operations in Denver, said Elizabeth Stein, the company's founder and chief executive officer.

"I just felt that it would be strategically beneficial to be close to the co-packer and to be in a community that was so deeply entrenched in what we do," she said.

Purely Elizabeth makes a variety of granolas, oatmeal and baking mixes that are gluten-free, vegan and certified organic. The products are carried nationally at retailers such as Whole Foods Market.

Starting this past Sunday, Purely Elizabeth's Ancient Grain Granola line is available at every Target store in the United States.

"When I started the company, as a holistic nutrition counselor, really my goal was to create a product and help change the way people eat," she said. "To reach so many more people in such a broader (way) is a dream come true."

Stein lauded Target's movement to bring in more natural, organic and niche products.

"I think it just really speaks to the changes in consumers' eating habits and behavior and knowledge," she said.

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Purely Elizabeth is profitable and is expected to post revenue of $5 million this year, she said. The company recorded triple-digit sales growth in 2012 and 2013 and is aiming to do the same this year, she said.

The three-person company also could double in size this year, she added.

Purely Elizabeth is one of several natural products firms that have relocated their operations to Boulder in recent months.

Since the beginning of the year, Boulder Brands Inc. completed its headquarters move to downtown Boulder from New Jersey, Quinn Popcorn relocated from Boston and Yummari, a maker of chia seed-based energy bites and snacks, settled in Boulder after uprooting from New York.

Liz Hanson, economic vitality coordinator for the city of Boulder, said the evolution of Naturally Boulder into a thriving nonprofit from humble beginnings as a city-funded task force has helped Boulder land some new companies.

"This shows what we already believe about Boulder is that we have become a mecca, so to speak, for natural and organic products," she said. "Obviously, this is something that has evolved over time."

The natural and organic products industry has deep roots in Boulder's history, she said, noting homegrown companies such as Celestial Seasonings.

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